Rockabilly Romance
by Harleenquinzel085
Summary: Set in 1950 Anna Steele is off to university and she is there so her Family can get her, a MRS. degree. but she wants to become a teacher. She meets Christian working at a gas station and offers her a ride to the campus and along the way they get to talking about dreams. It isn't long before Jack Anna's ex, has come back to claim what he thinks is rightfully his.


Sally is sitting up at the breakfast table with my father reading the paper, Something he did every morning before work, mother making Joe making his sausage and eggs, me at the end of the table thinking about college and what it means to go off to it, I had my hair down loose and father made it clear of the reason young girls go to college, "to find a husband." He sounded like a broken record.

"I know father." I would repeat this over and over with my parents, today was the day I was setting out on the bus, leaving my young sister and brother behind to get a higher education, or a man to love me. I poked at my cold eggs one last time, not feeling up to putting it in my mouth, the rustle of my father's paper meant he was close to the local sports section which mean he would look upon Jack's face after another goal winning football game, and he would make some jab at me saying how I couldn't make it work with him, again. I grabbed my plate and pushed away from the table and looked into my mother's tired eyes, she was dreading this day all of her life now that it was here I could see how much trouble it put on her to watch her eldest child leave her house. Her lip trembled as I spoke.

"The bus comes at 10 am, I will be on it, and I want you all there to see me go." Mother waved her hands and fought back tears,

"Oh Annie" She pulled me into a hug, it was a miracle I got into UBC arts program. Mother jumped for joy that day then joy turned into bittersweet tears, Father was beside himself saying it was a great day, and told me go get a doctor as a boyfriend. I cringed at the thought, not at boy, boys are great, I just didn't want to be waiting for my man after surgery him covered in blood, and I fainted at the sight of the stuff.

Father ruffed the paper again and said "darling Anna we will be there, don't worry child." I nodded, and excused myself, I had to go pack one or two more things but really it was to go to my room one last time. As soon as I shut the door, I looked out at our farm, our Mission farm, I would be making the journey into the big city to start a new life, I had to do it, Jack was never going to propose, in fact he got a contract to play professional football for the BC Lions, his career was set, I thought I was coming along until I found out from my best friend Lena Williams that he was seen pulling into the Twilight Drive in with some girl and he promised me to go to the drive in, it was code for getting up my skirt. I shook my head as I told my mother and father to answer the phone for me because I had stopped calling Jack and I had nothing to say to him. Then there was the night after we Graduated, he took another girl to the dance I didn't care really nobody wanted a smart woman for a wife. He threw rocks up against my bedroom window that night after prom, I shook my head of the memories and I looked down at his high school ring one last time, maybe I could drop it off before I left, then we would be done, and he won't know where I was going. I looked at the dawn, and sat on my bed one last time, I had another hour before I was leaving I was up here to pack but like my mother I couldn't sleep last night and I did all my packing last night. I picked up my book of Tess of the d'Urbervilles, my favorite book, began flipping through the pages. I heard groaning coming outside my window there was a tree outside my window made it great for sneaking out to go meet Jack and his football friends, and there below me was Jack, climbing the tree.

"What are you doing?" I yelled to him below hoping that my father or somebody would hear me and in hopes he would take a hint and leave me alone.

"Annie, I came back for you." Watching the man fight up the tree, knowing I could climb up it but he was having trouble, he soon gave up and looked up at me him in his brown sports coat and brown slacks, and off green collared shirt. I shook my head, and stuck my head inside, I grabbed the ring,

"I was going to give this back to you, but since a Lena saw you and your date walking into the concession stand looking cozy then it made me believe you only want me for the short season not the long haul." I dropped the ring down and it hit him in the head, I giggled, "I'm leaving this one horse town today, and I'm starting anew without you!" I pulled the window down and slammed it shut.

It wasn't long before he came around front and knocked on the door. I listened to my mother as she and Jack talked, he tried to come in and my mother rejecting him, telling him I was off at the soda shop as I told her to say, I never did say why to my parents why I left Jack I just said he and I were having problems and I didn't want to talk to him. My mother bought it, my father not so much. I heard father's voice booming down the hall.

"Son come in have some coffee, maybe you can take our Daughter Anna to the bus today." I could tell he didn't want to do it because of how he passed the task off to Jack, I grabbed my suitcase and looked around my old room before I would be taking a new home in Vancouver, I walked down the stairs there was Jack, my mother, my father and Sally coming down the hall.

"Mr. Steele, can I ask for daughter's hand in marriage?" I stood there my jaw just dropped. My father looked at him, and said to me,

"well look at that Anna you don't have to go a fancy school to find a husband, he is here right now!" He padded his shoulder, "yes son she is all yours." I couldn't hold back.

"He cheated on me!" My father smile faded, and looked at my mother who looked away, he looked at him who was holding up the ring,

"Jack I had a high respect for you but if you took somebody else other than daughter out then I suggest you be with them and not with her, she deserves the best and that is not you." Jack tried to explain, as I marched past him, my mother who was in her yellow button down sweater and Sally in her white blouse and pink poodle skirt and Joe who was coming up behind us, my father walked out to his Blue Cadillac and my mother held on to his business jacket, as I walked behind my father whom protected me now, Jack was trailing behind me trying to make a wrong into a right, I turned to him as he was about to grab my hand,

"Jack we had a good run but you shouldn't have done what you did, I would have been your wife, but cheating isn't love." Jack grabbed my wrist and twisted it hard.

"Please, if this about what happened in the woods, I'm sorry, the guys were jerks, please give me another chance." My father looked over to me as I fought to get my wrist free but he had a tight grip on me, father looked to him,

"Son, let her go." My father opened the door, and pulled back the seat for me to get in the back, I scooted over to my mother's side and watched Sally and Joe slide in beside me. We left Jack standing in the dust of our Cadillac.

Being from Mission my Father a proud man worked on the lumber yards as a technician, he would see the wood go in and make sure it didn't jam up the machines. We owned a dairy farm for a long time our grandfather helped with the cows until he passed and we sold the livestock shortly after to help pay for my tuition. My Mother was a beautiful woman, she loved me and the fact I was the first one in the family that said I got accepted into one of the most academic school for MRS. degree. I shuddered at the thought, she was as naïve as they came, she pushed for Jack's to pop the question and when graduation came and summer had worn on, I knew his career would take him places a simple farm girl couldn't go, then again the day the acceptance letter came in the mail, it was my way out. It was sad to tell my mother instead of a ring, Jack gave me his high school ring as a promise he would always love me and only me when he was on the road. I thought it was a load of crap, but accepted it since my mother wanted me to have him.

We drew closer to town and the bus ticket in my hand excited for what was to come, I could hear Jack's car coming up behind us, desperate never was good on him and him to hope that this cheating would go away, wasn't good. I wanted somebody who wanted me for me, not oh you'll do. I wanted to have somebody who wanted to be seen with me, somebody who wanted me to not climb out of my bedroom window at night to seek off with into the barn. I still was saving myself for marriage the main reason Jack was trying so hard, he wanted my virginity he wanted to step in towards the end after doing no real work and do the deed, he did it in high school when I was looking up to him with my wide big blue eyes and my silky bruette hair, he would come over to get me to do his homework and he would call his friends on the phone while I was working hard on his algebra, only this was my turn I was leaving him behind. My friends, my family, and Jack for a new life in Vancouver.

We got to the Greyhound at 9:30, bus ticket in hand jacket over my arm, my mother looked at me with her brown eyes, short build and took me into her arms, I held her so tight, and tried not to cry as she whispered,

"you are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you can call me whenever the going gets rough and I will send your father to that fancy school to pick you up and bring you home. Here" She handed me an envelope, I nodded as I pulled back, my father I took into my arms.

"My darling Annie, come home for Christmas please your mother would like that even Thanksgiving. Anytime and call! Please we can pay for the charges as long as you call darling. And here," He pulled out his billfold, "take some, get a sandwich, get some food, I don't want you to be hungry your first day there!" I hugged my dad as cold as he sometimes was I could tell this was hard on him as it was on me. I took the money and tucked it into my dress, I hugged him one last time and could feel the tears pricking in my eyes. I looked to my baby sister Sally just as tall as me only twelve years old, I took her in my arms next,

"Write to me when your first boy kisses you ok?" I whispered to her. She nodded.

"I will, please don't go, I want you to stay." Her blonde hair pulled into a ponytail, and crying on my shoulder, I pulled back,

"I have to go, it's for us, one of us needs to get out into the world, and you're next." She broke down into a sob as I took a knee to my little brother Joe, "remember, milkshakes and grilled cheese sandwiches?" He asked me, I nodded, our favorite meals together, where the one I made him or took him for the soda shop for.

"I will, Sally can take you anytime." I pulled him into a hug, and smelt his head one last time, smelling like warm bread and cakes, I will miss him most. He looked up at me with his big brown eyes,

"I love you Annie," His little mousy voice made me break down on the sidewalk, "I love you too Joe." I kissed his cheek just as I pulled back as he kissed mine, I tried to not let more tears slip down my face, I grabbed my jacket and gave my luggage to the driver as he put it under the bus, he then took my ticket and I climbed on the bus, I turned and waved to my tearful family one last time and climbed into the bus, I sat towards a window seat and continued to waved to my family. The bus pulled away and the reality set in I was on a bus heading to Vancouver. I waved goodbye as long as I could until I saw Joe running to the end of the corner and waving like I was being shipped off to war. I sat back and cried knowing I left my favorite sibling behind.

I looked out the window as I listened to the radio from the front, the Red Robson show was playing, listing off Elvis tunes, I wiped my eyes as we pasted farms and trees, and the lumber yard my father had worked, since it was a Labor Day weekend he took it off to see me off to school. He said he wanted to drive us all down but with his small cheque it won't be possible to spend it on gas so it was better just to get me a ticket from Greyhound and wish me well from the sidewalk of our small lumber town. I was a blur of rivers, trees, and happy little farms. I thought back how poor little Joe I helped him with his studies as well as Jack's but I still think after a few years dad will convince him to drop school and come work for him at the lumber yard. Knowing he had big dreams to leave and to become a mad scientist. I laughed as he told me his big plans, knowing a boy of seven couldn't take over the world by being a scientist but I loved hearing his tall tales. I know Sally would follow mother's dream and marries the first boy who kisses her. Just like I did, only I was smart and left him for something better.

Three hours later we pulled into the busy hussling city that is Vancouver, I climbed down the bus and was handed my luggage and walked towards Main Street, it was clean and beautiful. I walked over to the trollyling and the first bus that pulled up was to Arbutus Street. "Where you headed?" The driver as he saw I was lost. I climbed on as did other folk, and spoke to the driver, "UBC," He shook his head,

"Sorry Darling, but you will have to hitchhike there, I go as far as Arbutus and Forth street there is a gas station there, maybe the guy Ray can loan you his car or give you a lift there, but I have given rides to girls like you at least a few times a week and then some" he looked back at me as he came to his next stop and some Chinese people came on, I was just scared I had never seen people like this before, he looked at me, "just sit back and hold on." I took a seat at the front of the bus, and held my suitcase close to my feet, and held my jacket even closer. Watching the Buildings and cars fly by and people coming on and off the bus, they were all different colors and shapes, it was no sooner that we pulled into the last stop. The people all disembarked, as I stayed rooted to the spot, frighten of what to come, "come on dearie, time to go, the driver called to me as I grabbed my suitcase handle, and climbed off the balmy bus, "now see that gas station there?" I nodded, "go in ask for Ray and tell him that you are from wherever and need a lift, and offer gas money." I stepped off and turned before he shut the doors, I yelled "thank you driver," he tipped his hand and shut the doors. I turned to walk to the station, as I walked in a little bell sounded and a greasy guy with coveralls on came out from the counter, "hello there." He looked me up and down, "oh geez not another one!"

Angry I shot back, "what's that supposed to mean?" He threw his rag into a pile, and looked at me square on.

"Let me guess the bus driver picked up from the bus station and you can't get to UBC because the bus's don't go that far out there, and you are going to offer me something like 10.00 because that's all your dad or mom gave you to get something to eat and you give it to me to get my son Christian to give you a ride to campus, trust me I know the type!"

Flustered I look at him, "well what if I am visiting a sick aunt whom lives on the campus area!" He scoffed a laugh at me, "darling, even if I did believe that, which I don't, you wouldn't be here in fact your parents I'm sure would be driving you there themselves." He goes back to the car he is working on and forgets all about me, then the bell rang again and in walked the most gorgeous man ever, "Dad I'm back," he looked me up and down and smiled I turned into a puddle in front of his eyes. His grey eyes his six foot one frame, his strong arms and lean body, his rolled out bed brown hair, I wanted him then and there. I wanted to leap into his arms and say "take me I'm yours!" But I sat in one of the chairs waiting for him to say what to do. I heard his Joe say something about "you got another dopey eye MRL girl there waiting for her ride, if you want to do it, or wait until there is a group of them." He turned to me, there I looked over and I was waiting, "say yes please let it be just us!" He smiled, it glowed just pure white, like he looked after himself, I was in love, I wanted him, and I rubbed my legs as if there was a chill in the air but it was hot as July outside as well as in, but the radio did say a chance of rain. There was Christian in his coveralls and I would have taken him without them. "Yeah I'll take, um," he looked to me again, and called "what's your name love?" He had a little Irish accent on him.

I almost fell out of my chair, he was speaking to me, "Single! I mean Annie I mean Anna, my mom calls me Annie I mean, oh gosh." I blushed my head was spinning I never told anybody I was single ever, why would I say that? He laughed at me,

"Come on Single Annie Annabelle let's go." He grabbed the keys and I stood up and forgot about everything, "Didn't you come with a suitcase?" He asked as he lead me to the Ford 150 truck, opening the door for me it was cherry red, I was in love with the truck as I was with Christian,

"What? Oh my bag!" I yelped and I ran back in the gas station, Ray held it up.

"Darling let me save you the heartache, he is single, but not interested in becoming a side-car to your plans, so if you want him make it known, but don't ditch him for the captain of the UBC Thunderbirds." He told me clamly.

"No sir, in fact, the Quarterback for the BC Lions left me for a redhead and a good time at the drive in movie theaters, trust me it wasn't in the plans to fall in love so soon." I was breathless even from a little run, what did Christian do to me?

He nodded and smirked, "I understand, but still you almost slipped outta the chair from the fact of son coming around, just be careful, I hope I see you again, and darling, he does drive a lot of girls to UBC just remember that." I nodded and turned to the door, I ran to the Ford that was just getting warmed, just as we turned the corner we saw another bus coming to drop off more people there was a girl with a suitcase, I had to make the most of this ride.

About 15 minutes in our ride, I thought small talk would work now, "so Jack how long have you been working for your dad?" I asked.

"Since my mom and her boyfriend dropped me off in front of the gas station, my real dad died in world war one my mom thought she was the Queen of England and that she deserved better than what my dad and my grandma was giving her, which was a job and she wanted to sit on her duff and do nothing but eat bon-bons all day, so with that out of spite of it she moved to Canada, shortly before my dad died. We traveled from Cape Barton to Montreal, Saskatoon, then Edmonton, and she met this guy and well he didn't like the fact my mom came with me, so we drove to Vancouver, I said I had to use the Loo and when I came back she was gone. Joe felt so bad for me he took me home, he had just lost his wife so I was like the son he never had. I was only seven but he took me every day to work on all the time I had off school, soon I was helping him work then it was just a natural choice." He looked onward like as if told that story to a million other girls. I didn't care, I wanted to be his only one.

"How old are you?" He asked,

"Seventeen, you?" I replied.

"Nineteen, so why you single? Most girls are, but they don't announce it in the shop." He smirked at me.

"I well I broke up with him this morning, he didn't take a hint I didn't want to see him anymore, he wanted to just get with me and promise to always be mine, but really he just wanted under my dress and that's it. He didn't want to get married or settle down, which I don't think I want that right now either, I want to study, and if love happens it happens but I am not stopping school for it."

"What you going in for?" He asked,

"Arts," I shuddered.

"So smart girl's marriage degree?" I fired a look at him.

"If you must know smarty pants I actually will be the only girl there with no boyfriend and no intention of leaving campus unless it's for Thanksgiving or Christmas." He shrugged,

"Whatever Single Annie Anna. Listen if you need a ride I will give you a number to the shop and my home number and I will come and get you wherever you are."He shrugged

"You give your number out to every girl?" I replied.

"Not every girl, just the ones whom tell me they are not getting a full MRS degree."

"What makes you think I would want you?" I asked.

"Please you fell outta your chair, last girl whom did that was my mother when she had me. You want me." I blushed. The first man that made me blush, I couldn't believe it. "What you thinking Single Annie Anna?"

"You get me, it's weird, and Jack never got me like this."

"Jack your ex?"

"Yeah, he says he got on with the BC Lions, and wanted to take me across Canada with him." He laughed to the point, of snorting. "What? He's a great player," which made him laugh harder he had to pull over, and he stopped the truck, and kept laughing.

"Single Annie Anna, you make me laugh, I like that about you" he kept laughing until he wiped the tears from his eyes, "sweetheart you don't make the BC Lions, the Lions make you, there are two quarterbacks on the team both of which didn't make it from high school football team one of them is from New York Giants, the other is from Texas Christian's College, he fed that to you so you won't leave!" I was so angry, not only did he lie to me but he cheated, I looked at the red faced, red eyed Christian, and didn't want to hear any more about my failed relationship, I got out of the truck and started walking up the long highway.

I heard his truck door slam behind him, me again trying not to cry. "Stop hold on, wait are you mad at me or him? Because I would understand why you're mad at me." I stopped and turned to him, he did nothing wrong but tell me the truth.

"Him, it's all him, he didn't want me because I was too smart most guys in my school didn't want a smart ass as a wife, so he took me on as a homework doer and he would tell me I was the only one when he would take other girls to the dances and to all the girls he would take out behind my back, I got into UBC to go as a mathelete, I wanted to be a teacher. I wanted," I was stopped talking by Christian, whose mouth covered mine, I let my jacket drop to the ground, as I wrapped my arms around him, his arms encircled my body pulling close, everything became warm with him, I felt it was a perfect fit, he was meant to be mine. He pulled back,

"I wanted to get you stop talking to show you what a man is really meant to girls they like." He whispered.

"Do all girls get this when they get a ride out to campus?" I asked.

"No," he took my mouth again and I let him, I melted into his body, I saw it all I wanted him to marry me to love me to want to be his wife, I wanted to take away his worries, I wanted to be his as he was mine. I felt the air change, and the sky open up and a drop of water hit my sensitive skin, I pulled back again, "oh no." I looked up as the sky let a flood of water come down on us,

"you don't like water?" Jack asked as I stayed firm in his grasp.

I shook my head, "no I don't like getting wet." He laughed. I was falling in love with his laugh.

"Come on Single Annie Anna, let's get going." He opened my door for me as I slid in, as I did I watch him slide in beside me, I looked over at him as the rain overtook the truck, he looked back at me and I could barely keep my hands off of him, I pulled him towards me as he came to me, mouth to mouth, our tongues dance, he was about to take his shirt off when I spoke

"wait, I should tell you I'm saving myself for marriage."

He nodded, "me too."

"Really?" I asked, He giggled.

"Kinda, I wanted to but this cute brunette walked into my life and I want nothing more than to be with her, right now I want to peel her out of her wet blue dress and ruin my dad's truck." He sighed. "You're serious aren't you?" I nodded. "Ok, when you get a phone I want to hear from you every day. I want to be your boyfriend."

"It like that? Is it?" He started the truck and we drive off in the rain.

"Yeah it is like that." He replied.

"You won't give any other girls rides so I can be the last ride?" I requested.

"Is that what you want?" He asked,

"Yes, that's what I want."

"Ok if it makes my Annie Anna happy."

Over the next few days I got started in my studies and I found I could switch majors which I did after the first week, I wanted to teach and I wanted to teach Math and Sciences to kids. I got a dorm room with another girl Kate Kavanagh, whom's boyfriend was over on the North Shore, wherever that was. I was still getting my bearings on where to go. But I never forgot about Christian, I called him from a payphone every night, and talked for at least an hour by the time I would be done there was more to say and angry girls would be lining up to talk to they're mom's about they're lovers, or they're lovers about they're days and how boring school was. I didn't want to share Christian with anybody he was mine and only mine. I would walk around with a smile on my face to most of my classes and see most of the girls whom were in love like me be running around waiting for their guys to pick them up after school, since Christian worked most days he would want to pick me up on the weekends but we would spend every moment together then Saturday evening he would drop me off and then pick me up Sunday morning before church mass and we would sit together holding hands listening to God's wise words, then go to lunch at white spot, followed by a walk around the Stanley Park, I would tell him about the class's I was studying and he would tell me about the car he was working on. We would watch the football games at Empire Field, and go the hockey games called the Vancouver Millionaires. Christian would tell me all about them but really I was happy to watch Christian cheer for his home team, no matter who they were.

Things were going great until the phone rang and it was my mother,

"Hello Annie, how are you?" I wish she didn't call it was a Thursday before thanksgiving weekend and Christian and I had plans to do what we normally did, go to the BC Lions game mock my ex as a good joke and go back to his house which he shared with his dad and listen to the radio as we cuddled on the couch drinking coffee. It was my favorite past time, right there with Sunday mornings with the weather getting colder, dresses where out and my slacks were in, as well as my one sweater.

"I'm fine mother, I have met somebody." Oops why did I say that? Her wild scream startled my poor father whom came rushing to the phone. Her shrill voice rang out "She met someone! Carrick get in here, she met a boy! She can come home soon!"

They got on the phone together saying in union "when can we meet him!?"

"Uh, well, uh I haven't told him I uh about you guys yet, I haven't even said I wanted to come home for thanksgiving, we have been um well wrapped up in ourselves. Plus I don't think I want to stop school, I changed majors and I wanted to become a teacher, Christian thinks it's a great idea."

"Christian?" They said in unison, "Who's Christian, in all the letters she wrote she never said anything about a 'Christian'," Sally piped in.

"I know about a Christian," I heard Joe say, "She sent me a letter saying he is this automobile fixer upper and he loves her and she loves him, I think and she won't be home this Thanksgiving but she says she will try and come home for Christmas and she will do her best to bring home gifts. See momma?" The rustle of the paper made it to my Mother as she exclaimed the letter I had wrote to my little brother in secret, "trader" I muttered under my breath.

"Why didn't you tell us about him honey?" My mother's calm voice took the line.

"Because I didn't want you to run and tell Jack how great I have been doing without him, and I know how close you all were with him." I stopped to hear them mutter to one another, my Father was next on the phone.

"Annie he stopped by the other day asking if you were planning on coming home that he wanted to ask you to marry him, I told him yes but if I had known you were dating this 'Christain' Fellow I think I might have told him no."

"Father, he lied to you about playing for the BC Lions he did that so he wouldn't lose you or me." The phone like felt like it fell away, my mother came on the line,

"Anna I hope for your sake you are lying, and we really like Jack."

"I'm sorry you feel like that Mother but I love Christian more." I turned from the wall to see Jack standing there. "Mama I have to go. Love you." I hung up before she said another word. "What you doing here?" I wanted Christian here now, I turned to the phone to which Jack hand shoved to the phone outta my hand and blocked me,

"no more calls, please talk to me." He grunted to me, I shook my head,

"no you lied and cheated on me, I went to the games I was so embarrassed." I wasn't I knew the truth.

"I know I was traded shortly after, baby please take me back," he got on his knees and held up the ring the horrible high school ring, all the girls in the hall started gasping and looked at him to me as if I was crazy. "Please will you marry me Annie? You are my one." Katie came out of our dorm room all blonde locks flying around and looked to me to where the phone was hanging up on the wall to the moron on the floor on his knees. Like a white knight she saved me by saying. "Hey Annie, Christian called about twenty minutes ago saying he was coming later today and that he had something important to ask you, by the way girls, this is her ex and he is a lying, cheating, scumbag. Any takers!" With that I ran to my room and Katie and I locked the door as the big man came to our door knocking.

"You look great, climb out the window and go to the main office in school and call Christian." Katie told me, could hold the door shut, even locked I knew it wouldn't be long before it would come down. Knowing Jack would do anything to get to me, even though we dated I told him I wanted to wait until marriage he still pushed sex onto me, there would be many times my father and mother would tell him not to come in simply because I said I didn't want to see him. It would buy me time to get to the corner and out of the way of Jack for now. I grabbed my purse and made my way down the tree and waited, all of sudden I heard the door break open and his yelling "where is she?" I ran to the other side of the building and picked out behind the corner as I saw him look the window, I gulped a big breathe of air and started running and he didn't see me but I bolted to the pay phone up the road and close the building I take most of my classes in, most of my teachers won't protect me but I knew it was worth a shot. I ran into one, and looked for the closest phone. I dialed Christian's number, hoping he would answer, at the shop. It rang seven times before it disconnected I dialed again, "please, pick up Christian please." I prayed as I rang again, it rang with no end, I slammed the phone down looking around the office I was in, I called his house phone. It rang twice and Ray picked up,

"hello Annie, how are you?" His calming voice was enough to bring tears to my eyes.

"I'm frighten, Jack's here he wants me, he wants to take me back, where's Christian?" He's breathing stopped.

"I can call the police, he will not hurt you, now look is on his way to your dorm now, stay by that building and he will find you and bring you here for the weekend until we get Him sorted out." I nodded, "ok how ago did he leave?"

"Just now I just got home, he is on his way to you, don't worry you will be safe." I nodded, the door opened there stood Jack sweaty and mad as hell.

"Ray, He's in front of me. I hope like hell Christian finds me." All of sudden Jack was on top of me his hands were around my throat, with a growl he said,

"Take that back you bitch you love me and only me! Your Father said I could have you!" I turned the phone to Jack's ear, as he boar his weight into his hands onto me.

All I heard next was "let go of her, she is not yours, she belongs to my son." His gripped tighten.

"Like hell she does! She is mine." I felt the world closing in on me as it did I heard somebody screaming and the weight of his hands let go of me, I collapsed to the desk gasping for air. Feeling my sore neck now.

"Sorry, about that Annie, but don't worry I will get you soon again." He slapped my ass and left the office the person whom screamed came in to check on me, I nodded, I checked to see if Joe was still there and he was gone only a dial tone was there, and I called Katie to send Christian down to the office.

Shortly after Christian got there as did the police and I said I was going to press charges on a man whom was about to choke me to death, it wasn't new he was hurting me it was just this time he had gone too far. The police made the report and I went back to my room and collected my belongings.

On the ride back from campus I talked to Christian.

"What am I going to do? This is the first time he has shown up but this is the first time he has laid his hands on me." Christian was silent, Johnny Cash cooed on the radio on our way back to Christian's house. "My Mother and Father want to meet you. I was on the phone with them tonight before you came."

"Do you love me?" Christian asked me out of the darkness, the question came as a total shock.

"Yes I love you whole heartedly I love you I don't want to have my life with anybody else but you."

"Because Ray and I were talking and we want you to move in, you will have your own room, and I can drive you to school before work and pick you up after."

"You're lying," He looked at me as he pulled the truck over just as it was starting to rain again, I had grown to love the rain.

"Look you go for another year or two of school graduate and teach wherever you want, I can move anywhere you go. Tonight I saw Jack's car come whipping past on the way up to the campus and I knew it was because he was here to get you to drag you away from school. I know you would never leave me, but I had to check. Ray would love it if you did move in that way you don't have to worry about that jerk showing up at your dorm and I can pick up and drop you off at the shop and wait until I'm done and keep an eye for you, that way he doesn't get you." I nodded

"Ok," I smiled as I looked over at him, with a smile, "what's for dinner?"

"White spot?" I squealed in delight as he pulled away from the curb and drove off into the night.

We made one stop at Christian's house for a Green scarf he got as a Christmas gift from his grandma in Ireland, to hide the now showing bruises on my neck, to match my mint green dress. Unsure how to cover it later. The horrible black marks of how his big fingers curled around my throat reflected even in the darkest places. Christian and I sat side by side one another and held hands he would stop and kiss my head and put the scarf up when it would fall, I always like drinking the vanilla milkshakes and him and I would share one, as we would share our food. I was very much in love with him.

An unwanted guest sat down in front of us and I squirmed in my seat. Christian grabbed my hand and kissed it. "Let me take care of this."

"Annie baby doll I'm sorry," Jack spoke in a soft tone as if to say it only to me and not to the rest of the world. Christian rose out of his seat in front of Jack in the tiny booth. "Excuse me but you are ruining my date, and making my girlfriend very uncomfortable, please leave." He spoke in a clam manner, I looked down scared as Jack looked at me, "Annie I have changed, please I won't hurt you anymore as long as you don't make me mad, you are an inferring woman, please take me back," I didn't have to look up just to the left then slowly up to Christian's grey eyes,

"I love you Christian, take care of him." I then retreated within myself.

Jack shot out of the booth and glared at Christian, "back off grease monkey she's mine."

He smiled, "she stopped being yours the day she left Mission. So back off or I will escort you out myself" Jack shoved Christian.

"Ok, you want to play it like that," Jack didn't even duck as Christian leveled him with a single blow to the face, with the bone crunching under his fists I knew he had clearly broken his nose. Christian got down to his level grabbed him by the collar, and pulled Jack's face up to his. "She is mine, all mine, not yours, MINE, Back off, if I get word you are sniffing an inch towards the campus I will make sure I break more than just your nose buddy, now fuck off!" The manager got Christian off of Jack and Jack now frighten of Christian ran out of the restaurant. Christian straighten his sport coat and looked at me,

"You ok?" I nodded looking him up and down. The manager looked at Christian for an explanation, I took Christian's hand as he led me out of the booth. I smiled as all the wait staff looked at us as we left the restaurant, I could see Jack's car was gone but now I was curious where we were going to eat tonight. He pulled me close as the night air and wind whipped at my shoulders, Christian pulled off his coat and pulled it around my shoulders. He ushered me into the truck and ran to the other side, and got in. Before he turned the engine over I heard him curse under his breath, then spoke,

"I don't like the fact that he touched you before me." I wanted to cry the half wanted to hold him in my arms, I crawled towards him and pulled him into my arms and he hugged me back, "I promised I won't get violent with him, but when you told me all the things he did to you, just I can't believe he's qualified as a man, what did you ever see in him?"

I shrugged, but thought to the day the most beautiful girl in school marched over to me and shoved me into a locker and said I smelt like wood chips and horse manure, Jack grabbed her and told her it wasn't worth it, knowing back then they weren't sleeping together yet, but he protected me from her and others simply because I did his homework.

"He stood up for me in front of the other girls and guys, nobody really liked me in school and he just shut everyone up but I knew his dad was there and did the best he could, just never thought beating women was included." I would come home at dawn with bruises, he almost got my panties off one night him and his friends tricked me but since I wasn't drinking I fought one off and ran, hiding in bushes hearing they're drunken calls for me, until the sun rose and I ran home, I didn't talk to him after that day, but his smooth charm came back and I was back in his hook, only then he would cheat, lie, or try to hurt me.

"You say something about your family having Thanksgiving this weekend?" I nodded. "What's the address? I feel it's time to go say hello to the folks."

"Let leave tomorrow when it's light out that way we can see where the roads are." He nodded,

"You hungry still?" He asked, I nodded. "Ok let's something at the house." He turned the engine over and backed up and drove us to his house, I kept looking over my shoulder to make sure Jack wasn't behind us.

The next morning before we set out I called my mother to tell her we were coming home for Sunday dinner and the cries over the line were in joy. She wanted to know all about Christian even though we were a four or five hour drive away. Ray said he would work Saturday and take Sunday and Monday off for us, He also said something about going to a friend's for Thanksgiving, either way we could have the truck. We drove most of the time on the one highway all the way up Burrard Inlet, and stopping in Port Moody at a market, he watched me as we got what we need to get some sandwiches on the road, he looked at me in total awe as I looked for the food we needed.

"Do you cook?" Christian asked, as he paid for the food. I grabbed the paper bag as we walked out covering my neck with it so the store clerk didn't see my purple and blue marks on my neck.

"Yep, well enough to survive but I can cook." He opened the truck door for me watching me slip into the front seat and take out the bread and cold cuts to make him lunch. I could tell he was in love with me. I glanced at him as he was about to move away, "do you love me?" I asked him.

"Yes, I do, and nobody else. Do you love me?" He asked back.

"Yes I do, the moon and back." He smiled and leaned in for a kiss, and walked to the other side of the truck and got in and we roared off on our adventure.

It was quarter past three when we rolled into my parents farm, and my mom was outside first I barely let the truck stop before I was out the door and running into my Mother's arms, "my Annie you're home." She pulled me in and held me tightly in her arms as I looked over at my brother who stayed by my dad's side, Joe waving to me and my dad's arm over my brother, as if to hold on to him.

"Mother, this is Chrsitian Grey." Christian put the truck into park and got out and it was like I met him for the first time I watch him come around him in his blue jeans his black boots and his pale blue shirt, open at the collar, I fell deeper in love.

"Christian, this is my mother Grace Steele."

"Mrs. Steele, I have heard so much about you, Annie talks about you with such passion in her voice, and she told me where she got all her good cooking skills." He smoothed her over, like he did me. She tucked a strain of Blonde hair behind her ears, I got the Brunette hair from my father. She was blushing, he was a gentleman, he asked what was for dinner as he became an excited little boy like as if all the things she was making he was having for the first time and got more and more excited as she told him. My Father stopped me before the door, "show me your neck," he ordered.

"He didn't do it Father. It was Jack he showed up after the phone call with mother and choked me since I said no to his proposal." He nodded.

"I know, he called and asked if I could talk to you about him giving him another chance that something happened, now let's see it." I looked to Joe, "Joe go inside please, and I will see you in a minute." Joe went in there stood my mother, my father and Christian, looking over me, as I pulled the green scarf that held Jack's bruise.

"Sir, I want you to know I didn't do this, I love your daughter to much and she knows it and I love and respect women to hurt them." Christian chimed in, I took his hand and he held it.

"Anna you know if you had ever a problem with Jack always talk to me, and son thank you for breaking that jerk's nose but next time just call the police on him. It is like him to screw up but at least the police can right his wrongs." He nodded to me as soon as we stood on his stoop for too long.

"Father this is Christian Grey, Christian, this is my father Carrick Steele." My Father held his hand out to Christian. To which Christian took in his and shook. "My pleasure to meet you, Sir.

"Anna, go inside visit Joe and Sally, Jack and I need to talk." I nodded, I watched as Christian and my Father walked around the house I opened a window or two to overhear what was being said. Until my mother saw what I was doing. "I like him but it's up to your Father, and from the looks of things if he hasn't hit him yet, he maybe your new husband."

"Mother it isn't like that." Watching my mother light a match and start smoking a cigarette, "Don't smoke those they are disgusting, Christian doesn't smoke."

"Well he should! Its good for your health!" My mother fired back blowing smoke out of her red pouty lips.

"No thanks if I want taste ash I will eat an ashtray in the meantime can you read lips Sally?" As she leaned out the window and looked at Father and Christian.

"I think we have an attendance sir," Christian noted three women gawking at him and my father.

"Shit! Fall back girls fall back." Sally and I tucked from the window as my mother stayed there and watched, I kept close to the windows as well, as the men walked around and talked.

"What are you doing?" Joe came up behind me, I jumped in surprise.

"Dahhh, looking for…." I looked out again "spiders! Big nasty spiders."

Joe made a face, "yeah I like it better when you tell me your looking at dad and he is having the talk with somebody you are seeing, but ok weirdo." And walked back to the radio I looked at the time his radio show the Shadow would be up next he loved that one. He placed himself in front of the radio as if it was a television set and he listened to what The Shadow would do to fight bad guys I would sit and listen to him and envision a world with good guys like The Shadow to protect me from bad guys. I heard the front door open and close as I did my father came to me as Christain was nowhere to be seen, "Christian is getting your bags, you and me Miss Annie need to talk, let's go."

We walked out the back door as Christian came in with his and my bags. "Move it Annaie," I followed my father's orders and moved out the back door, and closed it behind him.

"I just had a long talk to Christian about what it means to be a part of a woman's life." He moved beside me, "I want you to know I don't approve of how you two met in fact that you got into a stranger's car and took it to UBC! Anna, I thought I taught you better!" I looked down as he scolded me, "But it paid off, he told me how he loved you the minute he saw you, how much he loves to hear you laugh and how much he wants you to be in his life." We started walking again, and walked to the barn to where we had one horse left for Sally and Joe.

"He asked me if it was ok if you moved in with him." My face shot over to his face, "at first I thought no, then he reminded me how much Jack had hurt you then I thought maybe it isn't a bad idea, plus you can get to know his living pattern better if you two decide to get married." I nodded. "I know you want your MRS degree but Christian said you were doing so well in school and that you should keep up with it, and we can help you for a while longer, we want to support your dreams." He paused, "what do you think? You want to marry him and say Good bye to Jack, I can make that happen."

"I don't like that Jack lied to me about his career."

"I know darling he even came by the mill looking for work so when I asked about the Lions he said they had dropped him after training camp, so he was lying this whole time, I am so sorry honey he had hurt you, if I had knew sooner I would done more to help." I looked at the horse in the field as I looked onward I spoke.

"I am saving myself for marriage but his friends and he tried to force themselves onto me." His head whipped to me.

"When?" He asked.

"Like beginning of this past summer, he asked me to come out after graduation dance and I did I climbed down the tree and we went into the woods past the barn and he said let's play a game. His football buddies came around me I looked for someplace to hide and he said 'get Annie's virginity, first one gets her gets to have sex with her' and I just bolted, I knew the woods like the back of my hand, they never found me but I had bruises on my arms because of them grabbing me."

"Where did you hide?" He demanded

"At first in the bushes, then before dawn in the barn, so it looked like I was the first one up." He pulled me into his arms and hugged me, "Oh Annie I'm so sorry if I had known all of this I won't have said anything to him, he's a snake and I will kill him myself if it means he getting out of the way of your happiness." I shook my head.

"Please don't, God will do onto others as people do onto him." He nodded,

"Don't worry baby girl he will never come into your life again." He held me for a little while before we headed back into the house.

Later that night when Joe slept beside my mother and father and Sally slept in her bed I snuck out of my bedroom door to meet Christian in the hallway. He kissed me as I kissed him back, "I love you baby, so much."

"I love you too Christian" I kissed him and we went downstairs to the kitchen and made some warm milk something him and I talked on the phone about.

"It feels weird being home, like I missed it but now that I am here it doesn't feel at home anymore."

He shook his head, "It feels right to me, then again I was left at a gas station in Vancouver at age seven so anything feels like home." I rubbed his arm.

"Do you remember her?" I inquired.

"No not anymore, I mean who picks a man over a child?" I saw him break, he sat at the kitchen table, "and I mean it's one thing to pick an animal over a guy but a child? Who or what kind of person does that?" He was close to tears when I pulled him back and I sat in his lap.

"I won't." I held him in my arms, as I did, I felt his trousers poke up like a pup tent, it was normally but I got off him and I got him to calm himself down, but this time. I didn't.

"Do you want me to take care of this?" He asked curiously. I looked down and up at him with a slow smile on my face, I said,

"I will move in with you, I will be your wife, I will take care of you and Ray, but if we do this, promise me I will be the only woman in your life."

"I promise." I held up my pinky and he linked it with mine, and made it go tight. "Do want to do this tonight?" I nodded,

"I think we waited long enough. Even for each other." He smiled and took my mouth with his.

"Where? Your room or the truck?" He queried, knowing my father would kill me if I lost my virginity in his house, I looked at the kitchen table then the moonlight caught my eye.

"How about the Barn?" I suggested. He didn't even wait, I locked my legs around his hips and he picked me up in one movement, he got on his boots, and ran out the back door. He was kissing and giggling with me in his arms, as we made it to the barn. He put me down for a second, feeling my feet hit the wet soil, remembering the feeling as we opened the door as fast as we could. I helped him move the door and he picked me up again and we went to the loft, there was so much soft hay and a blanket, there he laid me down in the straw, and pulled my nightie up a bit, there in the glowing moonlight there we were in the dark. He felt down in my panties and gently rubbed my vaigina, he rubbed in the folds as if he knew what he was doing, he pushed in and rubbed, I didn't know what was happening, but I didn't want it to stop, my legs and feet shook as his touch sent me clearly over the edge. Until he saw me go stiff, as I fought the urge to explode, he moved his fingers faster, I panted and grabbed the bathrobe he was in, and his dick was hard as a rock, I looked at him. Throwing my head back he looked at me, "come on Anna come for me." I sucked in a big breathe and yelped his name. To be met with a "shhh your parents are sleeping." I giggled as I realized he was right. He then took off his bathrobe and left it over the bail of hay for later, the October night air was colder then the warm summer months but now in the darkness I wanted to feel warmth my teeth slowly started to chatter. As they did he pulled his boxers down and I looked longing at his large member,

"You sure about this?" He asked.

"Are you one hundred percent sure on me?" I asked back. "Because if you are I am one hundred percent sure on you."

"I did what you asked after I gave you a ride, I had Ray give the other girls a ride to school, so there would be nobody else. I'm sure on you." He followed up. I watched him take off his undershirt and he stroked his shaft, a little pearl of white stuff formed at the top and as it did I wanted to taste it. I pulled my nightie off over my head looking as he loomed over me.

"You can say stop anytime and I will," I nodded, he position his body in line with mine, letting my legs fall open to his member. He pushed his body towards mine as he did the tip entered me and he stopped to see if I was ok, I nodded to keep going, he moved a bit more in, and stopped, until he was all the way in and it felt good, "you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm ok," I answered breathlessly, knowing what was to happen next.

"Ok, here we go." He took his hips a bit out and plunged them, and then the pain started. It felt like I was being ripped in half, I gasped as he came into me, "you ok?" He examined.

"It hurts a little but keep going." He rocked his hips back and forth slowly so I got used to the motion of his body until I was wrapping myself around him and I didn't want him to stop, I moaning with him as he kept going.

"Baby, I think I am," Christian's voice shook, the thing I didn't want to have happen. The ending, Kate had lost her and said that guys who didn't have it often or they're first time would come to the end fast. I didn't want that, I wanted to feel my legs shake as Kate explained to me one day, she had a boy over and they were just "finishing" and I was so curious and she answered all the questions she knew, then we went to the medical lab to learn the rest.

"Don't stop baby." I answered back. I wanted to feel what would be known as my orgasum. I gripped his arms and felt his world slowly unravel.

"Ok, I love you baby, but…" He nails dug into the wood of the barn and he stilled in my body, and with that I grabbed his head and pulled him in to kiss me, he held my body for a long time as he stilled.

"That was amazing baby. I love you." He breathed as I let go of his head.

"I love you even more now that we have done it." He pinned me down and kissed me again. "Do you want to do it again?" I nodded, he loved me and I loved him, there was no way around it. Finding out he was still hard in my body, maybe I could still get off on him being inside of me. I looked at him, "Why not sit up on that bale of hay, and I will sit on you like I did in the kitchen." He bolted from my body but as he did, he took a seat in the bale of hay, and I came over and sat down on his massive member, he helped me move back and forth and with the movement of my clitouris rubbing up and down on his flat stomach I grabbed his shoulders and rode him until my world was ready to explode. He held my hips, he knew I couldn't move anymore within the throws of my orgasum buidling he then took me off the bale of hay laid me on the spot we started in and I rubbed a bit of my clitouris as he pumped his hard member into me. I stucked in a hard breath as I felt my world collapsed into darkness and stars. His smile was the only thing keeping me in the here and now. Just as I came back to the real world, he then finished and I could feel his hot seed pumping deep within me. I laid there in his arms, comfortably numb, I had been made love to, and I didn't want anybody else but him to be my life partner. He kissed my lips and as we looked into each others eyes we knew that the moment was unbreakable. He pulled me into his arms and wrapped the blanket around us ,as well as his bathrobe and we fell asleep in the hay.

The next day Christian and I found out, I had bled all over the place from him taking my virginity, we crept back into the house and him into Joe's room as I went into the bathroom for some aspirin, and a shower. As soon as I was done, I went and wrapped up in a towel as he stood before the door. I giggled as he took me into the bathroom, he closed the door behind him "I think we have five minutes and I can do it in two" he parted my legs as I was giggling the whole time. He brought my body towards the edge of the sink and sank into me, "oh baby, you are incredible." My mouth made an O shape as he plunged into me again. This time was less painful but I wanted him not to stop every time. He groaned as he finished inside of me. We didn't hear any knocking yet so we washed up again and I snuck out to look like I just woke up. I changed and got ready to help my mother in the kitchen for turkey dinner, and then Church Mass, then home for dinner. I got ready in my Sunday best, just as quickly as I did, Christian came out and looked at me and kissed me, my Father cleared his throat. "Not in my house you two." He went into the bathroom and giggled as I knew what Christian and I did in there an hour earlier. My mother was next out of the Master bedroom, "is your father in there?" She asked, I nodded.

"Yes he is mother." She looked at me and noticed,

"I hope you made the right choice Annie." Christian left my side to go downstairs to give us some room.

"It was his first time too." I announced.

"Alright but not in your room, not under our roof." I glanced to her window that was looking into the backyard to the barn. "What?" I shot the look to the barn again, she gasped "Oh Annie!"

"I won't go to hell will I?" I asked.

"No, not likely and you won't burn in Church, at least not that I know of." She looked down, and up again.

"As long as we are not planning your wedding in nine months we're ok." My breathing hitched as I didn't think about that. My Father came out of the washroom and my mother was in next. I ran to Christian, and smacked his arm,

"I might get knocked up, you forget to mention the side effects of sex, Christian!" I scolded him.

"I wanted to pull out you said 'Don't stop.' Look if you do get knocked up, then we just deal with it. So you take night school to catch up on your teaching degree and I can take extra shifts on, we love each other so if a baby comes we can deal with it. Ok? I love you." Christian pulled my face up to meet his gaze.

I embraced him, I loved him and I wanted to have his baby, if it was a slip up then it won't be a bad thing.

After putting the turkey in the oven and piling everybody into the car we set off for church, Christian and I sat side by side holding hands, I looked around at my friends ones who stayed behind, one of my best friends had a baby bump and her left finger with a golden ring on it. Then the most beautiful girl in school had a swell of a belly, in fact she looked due soon, I looked around and she had a tear in her eye and no ring on her Soon that would be me, or not. I looked around and saw Jack in the back with his dad. He didn't see me, I looked ahead then I felt his eyes on me and I didn't look back I just looked forward and thought about the future with Christian in it. I gripped his hand a little tighter and he noticed, and he turned to look behind me. He then whispered in my ear "You got to be kidding?" I whispered back.

"Christian, It's Sunday Mass in a small hick town what you think he was going to do?" He Shrugged,

"Fair enough Annie, but now you have your dad and me to protect you, he won't come over unless he wants to disrespect your dad." I nodded then put a finger to my lips to say quiet. We prayed in silence as the preacher went on with Mass, I prayed for health, love and not to be pregnant.

After a wonderful day filled with Family and friends at church we didn't run into Jack but my dad did. "Son, I won't embarrass you in front of your friends" whom were looming closer to me as I backed up behind Christian who pushing me to the truck. "But how I hear you treated my daughter while she was in the city, and at home, I don't want to see you ever again. If you disrespect by hurting her there will be nothing but a world of hurt brought onto you. Do you understand me?" Nods and "yes sirs" were given out. I was almost pushed into the front seat of the truck as the football guys came around Christian and I. Jack came by the window of the truck and was about to knock on it, noting his ring was back on his left hand as if to say I wanted you back.

We made it home and we had a wonderful sit down dinner Father said Grace and we got into dinner. After dinner we made turkey sandwiches for the next few days, and Mother and I made strew from the turkey bones, something to take home with me again. She said it would last me for weeks if I kept it cool and made bowls at a time. I loved her cooking. That night as everyone went to bed Christian and I snuck out to the barn again and made love one last time under the moon light, we held each other until the dawn came through the slates of the barn. We went inside and packed up and I packed up some more clothes with me.

Mother and Father sat at the breakfast table as we did the first morning I left for UBC, and Christian beside me and Joe to my left, he held my hand like he didn't want to let go and Sally sat at the end of the table. We ate in an uncomfortable silence, Christian looked beside me and smiled. "Hey Joe there is a box we brought up for you can you go in the cab and grab it for me?" He passed him the keys.

"I didn't think we got him anything." I replied, he shook his head.

"Nothing special just a train set." I thought about it.

"He doesn't like trains he wanted to be a scientist." He shrugged,

"Oh well doesn't matter it's still a toy." I continued on with my eggs as I saw Joe running back with a smaller box.

"That's not a train set." I pointed to Joe, and looked at Christian was on the floor, on one bended knee.

"I know. I forgot which box I brought up, but I have to ask." He took a deep breath, as I covered my mouth and tried not to cry.

"Anna Rose Steele, you are the one I can't help but fall in love with, you are my sunshine, you will never know how much I love you, I will protect you and respect you, I will follow your dreams and make them my own, you love me as much I as I love you" my hands over my mouth as I watch him get all he can out of this moment, "Annie, will you marry me?" The little hinge in the box squeaked and there was a single solitaire diamond on a gold band.

"Yes, I will." I took Christian's face in for a kiss as he slipped on the ring. My mother jumped up from the table almost knocking it over, my Father shook Christian's hand as if to say welcome to the family Joe was hugging his new brother, and Sally and I looked over the ring.

We left that afternoon and drove back into Vancouver, "how long did you want to wait until you asked me?"

"Honestly I called your dad Wednesday after you mentioned about seeing your parents I thought if you had a ring on your hand maybe Jack would back off, but now that your father has spoken to him we don't have to worry about him. But I asked him Saturday afternoon if I could have his blessing and I told him I would do all I could to keep you in school and finish off your degree. Your teaching degree. That is." I nodded, I looked to my belly. Then back up.

"So if we are?" I curiously asked.

"If we are, we are, if not then finish school and we won't do it until you finish school and get a teaching job. I don't want you to screw this up, I did see a few classmates of yours whom didn't wait, I don't want that to be us."

"I understand." I snuggled close as he pulled off the highway, he cut the engine.

"Can you drive?" I shook my head,

"Ok you will learn and right now." He slipped out of the driver's seat and walked over to my side and waited for me to hop over, I stuck the key in like Ray had shown me one time to make sure the car worked, "ok check your shoulder, take the truck out of park and put it into drive and when it's safe pull out and step on the gas, there you go." He coached me, I did all he asked and looked good while doing it all, "You are doing great baby, now I'm going to take a nap and you can drive us."

"What if I have a question?" I squeaked.

"You'll be fine, just drive the road if it turns go left, go left, if it goes right, go right, see simple if it's a red light, stop, if it's green light, hit the gas, see simple. Night." He closed his eyes as I took a turn driving the highway. He must have been laughing at me because every time I looked over to the right mirror he was smiling at me.

When we got into Burnaby my right knee was sore from driving and he said he would take over, and he dropped me off at campus.

"Pack up over the next few days and we can move you in, in the meantime don't stress we don't know until about a month or two if you're pregnant so just relax. Or as Ray would say when his wife was trying "The rabbit done died." Don't worry." I nodded. I didn't want to leave him yet I had to, Christian watched me from the court yard climb the steps up to my dorm to where it was cold and empty, I watched him from below as soon as he saw I was safe I wondered around and began packing up my stuff slowly like he said. I was done within an hour or two.

Kate came back from Thanksgiving saying "I swear my mother made the food too good, I mean look at me!" Showing off her dress that was in no way ill looking at all. " I must have gained five pounds on my hips". I laughed at her nonsense remark and mentioned "well all my turkey weight went to my fingers." To which I held my hand up to show her my beautiful ring. Kate screamed in delight as she saw the ring. We jumped up and down and hugged. Other girls later found out what the yelling was about and got excited, apparently I was the first girl on campus to get engaged. Within hours I was dragged room to room in my dorm showing off my ring.

The next morning I woke up to a door full of engagement pictures of their mothers with wedding gowns on, asking which one I would look best in, Katie and I ignored them and went to class. It wasn't bad enough the girls in my dorm found out but somehow the whole school did as well, the professors' wished me well with my engagement and asked if I wanted time off for my wedding or honeymoon I declined saying "I wanted to finished school first before my wedding." Thinking that it was too soon to plan my wedding.

Towards the end of the day, I got the last of my boxes together and my suitcase loaded full and Katie helped me down to Christian, and load it all in. He gave me a big hug and a kiss and I told Kate I would see her tomorrow. We left UBC behind and as we did, I asked.

"What if I took my course elsewhere? Like New Westminster?"

"England or BC?" Christian looked at me before answering.

"England." I replied, He beamed at me.

"Annie, I will go with you anywhere." I smiled.

"Just checking." I looked out the window. "Just checking." I muttered again.

December 1955.

Grace come down here the kids are here and they have something to tell us now come on!" I could hear my father bellowing to my mother from the bottom of the stairs. And there we were, Christian and I, we eloped in Ireland the next month and we were running away from school from our jobs from everything and we were giving my parents the money back from school. I wanted to teach abroad and make the most of this life with Christian. Thankfully I got my period the next month and I was not having his baby, but we missed being inmate with each other, Ray had gotten a girl for himself, seeing Christian and I be so happy made him want somebody in his life. My mother came running down the stairs as did Sally and Joe, in their finest Christmas wear, it was Christmas Eve and we we're all going to Midnight mass.

"Ok we're here, now what is it?" Christian and I looked at one another and handed my Father the envelope.

"We sold the truck, and I dropped out of UBC, this is our gift to you, your lives back, you put everything on hold so I could find the love of my life and I did, and I wanted an education and we are moving abroad do to do so. We are going to Christian's hometown in Ireland and finding the rest of his family, and then we don't know what's next but we wanted you to have something this holiday and that was the money you used to put me into school."

My father and mother both puzzled. Then my mother spoke, "but you love school. Why stop?"

"I do love learning, but I love Christian just as much, I love you both and what good would it do us if we used money for school, and a big wedding, you can't afford much since you sold most of the animals to pay for my tuition, I think it is only fair I give that back."

"But what about the wedding?" Christian cut in as my mother asked me another question. "We are eloping, I don't have much family and same with Annie so we want it to just be us. In Ireland." My mother jaw hit the floor, my father still scratching his head to what do to do with the money. I looked at Sally who looked as lost as I did.

"Use the money for Sally's education, maybe she can get ahead maybe farther then I did." She smiled at my suggestion. "but whatever you do, don't use it for us, we can make our own money now, and we can do just fine we will be back next year and we will bring gifts from our travels we just wanted you to have a nice holiday with the money."

My father finally nodded. "Ok, Sally," She nodded.

"Yes Dad," She acknowledged him.

"We will use this for your education, or for your wedding whatever comes first." She jumped into my father's arms.

My mother still looking lost at the thoughts I just put before her. I had to say something. "Ok so I guess we are taking your car to Midnight Mass then tomorrow we need a lift to Greyhound."

"No Anna, Christian as our gift to you, we will drive you to the airport tomorrow morning." He smiled as we walked out of the house and into the snowy evening. We piled into the Cadillac, and made our way up the driveway in the snow and to church, and the next day after Christmas, we would be heading to YVR to fly to the United Kingdom to start a new life, a new life with Christian Grey, and me his Annie Anna Steele, soon to be Annie Grey.


End file.
